Staff Writer
For the past 14 years, the Sallet family of Waycross has seen its family grow sometimes more than 100 fold at this time of year.
That’s how long its members have offered Thanksgiving meals to the homeless and other families in need at the holiday.
This year the Sallets generosity took place Friday November 18 at 818 Summit Street in Waycross.
“When I moved back home after 26 years in Virginia, it was put on my heart to give to the homless and needy,” said Alice Sallet. “The mayor at the time was Mayor (Clarence) Billups, and he stood by us and helped us serve the food each year and we’re thankful for him.
“We were the first to start a Thanksgiving meal in Waycross and we are happy to see others giving now. We are a loving and giving family and we saw a need to give back.
“There are individuals who have no family, and we want to make sure that they have food and a good meal.”
The meal took place inside a venue until the coronavirus pandemic arose in 2020, and the event was then moved to the residence. The Sallets said they hope to be able to return to a venue next year.
The family said the first year they started the meals they were able to feed more than 100 people. Alice said that number has grown steadily over the last 14 years.
“We’ve fed a lot of people over the years, it is like we have 10 to 15 from this community and 10 to 15 from another community,” she said. “We serve people from several different communities.”
The family starts prepping the food a few days in advance in order to have everything come together for the meal.
“We, as a family, split up the food making. We’ll have most of it done at least one day in advance,” Alice said.
The menu this year included turkey and smoked chicken along with dressing and several other side dishes.
The effort of kindness is a family funded event.
“We don’t ask for donations, this is something our family does on our own,” she said. “We wouldn’t turn down donations if someome wanted to make a cake or something like, but we do not go out and ask for people to give to our event.”
Alice offered thanks to a host of people for their part in staging the annual effort.
“I would like to thank Ora and Henry Jordan, Myrdes Croom, Ettie Smith, Willie Mae Sallet, Maudie Robertson, Regina Ward, Fannie Williams, the late Janet Sallet, Evelina Robertson, Ruth Black, Christine Smith, Wesley and Herbert Sallet, John Boyd, Archie and Ruby Sallet,” she said. “They all make this very successful every year.”
